Hair Salon Insurance Coverage Checklist
The coverages a hair salon business may carry — core, prevalent, and situational — why each matters, and the gap most often missed.
Pull out your current policy and check the box next to any coverage you can confirm is already in place — anything unchecked is worth a quick conversation with your advisor. Coverage checklist for hair salons, including chemical, extension, and suite or booth-rental operations. Priorities reflect typical exposure for this class; confirm against the services performed and how stylists are engaged.
Tick each coverage you can confirm you carry — anything left unticked is a good question for your next policy review.
| Have it? | Coverage | Why this business needs it | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Liability (Salon Services) | Covers chemical burns, hair loss, allergic reactions, and other service injuries — GL usually excludes them. | Core | |
| Commercial General Liability | Covers client slips and falls and damage to client property. | Core | |
| Products Liability | Covers reactions to products used or sold, including private-label lines. | Prevalent | |
| Business Personal Property | Covers chairs, dryers, tools, and retail inventory. | Prevalent | |
| Workers' Compensation | Required in most states with employees; chemical exposure, dermatitis, and strain injuries are common. | Situational | |
| Employment Practices Liability (EPLI) | Relevant where booth or commission stylists could be treated as employees. | Situational | |
| Cyber Liability | Covers client records, booking data, and payment information. | Situational | |
| Business Income | Replaces income after a covered closure. | Prevalent |
The coverage gap most often missed
The most commonly missed gap for this class is coverage for chemical services. Some salon policies exclude or limit smoothing treatments, relaxers, or extensions — exactly the services most likely to cause burns, hair loss, or reactions. Formaldehyde adds a longer-term concern: OSHA has found it in salon air above legal limits during smoothing treatments, even with products labeled formaldehyde-free, and FDA's proposed ban has been repeatedly delayed. Salons should confirm every service is covered, keep chemical service records, and check product safety data sheets. Suite and booth renters should each carry their own coverage naming the salon.
Send us the checklist and we'll review your hair salon coverage line by line, then market it across multiple carriers that compete for your account.
Related: Hair Salon Insurance · Hair Salon Supplemental (apply) · All coverage checklists
Frequently asked questions
What insurance does a hair salon business need?
The core coverages for a hair salon business are Professional Liability (Salon Services), Commercial General Liability. This checklist also lists the prevalent and situational coverages worth considering, with a plain-English note on why each matters.
Is this checklist insurance advice?
No. It is a free educational tool to help you have a more informed conversation with a licensed professional. It affords no coverage and is not insurance, legal, or financial advice — only your actual policy language governs what is and isn't covered.
Can Cory Washington & Co. review my hair salon coverage?
Yes. Share your checklist and we'll review your program line by line, market your account across multiple carriers, and explain the trade-offs in plain English. Cory Washington & Co. LLC is licensed in all 50 states.
This checklist is a free educational tool from Cory Washington & Co. to help you review your own coverage and have a more informed conversation with a licensed insurance professional. It is general information only — not insurance, legal, or financial advice, and not a recommendation to buy, change, or cancel any policy. Coverage terms, availability, limits, and requirements vary by policy, carrier, and state, and only the language in your actual policy governs what is and isn’t covered. Checking or leaving blank any item above does not indicate that you are adequately insured or under-insured. Using this checklist does not create a client, agency, or fiduciary relationship. Always consult a licensed professional about your specific situation.